Killing Morpheus
by Ryoko no Shinigami
Summary: Zechs Marquis has been rebuilding the Gundam 01... Against Treize's orders. When Treize finds out and tells Zechs off, Zechs decides that the man/God must die...
1. Changing Face

1 Title: Killing Morpheus  
  
Author: Ryoko no Shinigami  
  
Rating: R  
  
Pairings: 6x13  
  
Warnings: Yaoi, premeditated murder, violence, blood, angst, flashbacks, maybe sex scenes in later chapters.  
  
Authors Notes: Ok, this may be the first fic of mine with a lemon sex scene in it. But that's maybe, and only if I decide to. Heck, I have yet to even do a scene with any sex in it, so maybe it's not a good idea.  
  
Anyway, readers of Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' graphic novels may recognize this plotline as one that was only hinted at in the series. For hints, go reread about Larissa in the later issues.but that's all I'm saying! I don't want to give the whole thing away already!  
  
Dedication: To Chika, you know who you are. Be happy, love, there's always the sky to live for.  
  
Chapter One: Changing Face  
  
There are many ways to kill a god, thought the man known as Zechs Marquis. But almost all of them required being a god oneself. And Zechs Marquis, while he was many things, had no delusions of being a god. And yet, he planned to become one, with the death of another.  
  
The god in question was the only man who Zechs respected. He was the only one he feared. Therefore, it was only reasonable that he must die.  
  
That man was Treize Kushrinada.  
  
That man, mused Zechs, was the most insideous, bold, uncaring individual on the entire Earth Sphere. Worse, he was also charismatic, cultured, dashing.people practically fell into his lap. Everyone wanted to be the favorite of the handsome and charming leader of Romefeller.  
  
It was a position Zechs Marquise had held, up until recently. And as far as he was concerned, his own fall from grace was the fault of those detestable Gundam pilots.  
  
Yes, the Gundam pilots. He didn't understand his fascination with those five teenage boys. Anymore than he understood the fascination of Treize Kushrinada. But it was similar, he thought. Just as Treize could get people to willingly bend to his machinations, those Gundam pilots had unknowingly aided their cause by ruining both Zechs' reputation and his high standing in Triezes' eyes. And the worst part was, they hadn't known they were doing it. They fascinated Zechs to the point where he did it for them.  
  
And it was all because of that one mobile suit. Zechs had known that there was almost no way that he was going to pull the wool over Treizes' eyes for long. As it was, he had barely finished the repairs on the damnable thing when he had been found out. And now, all his years of hard work seemed to be for naught.  
  
Treize had called Zechs to his office only a few hours ago. The room was rich, lushly appointed, with huge bay windows filling one wall. He had stood with his back to Zechs, staring out the window. When he turned, there was a look of deepest sadness on his face.  
  
He had told Zechs in no uncertain terms that his time as a trusted high-ranking officer was over. He had deliberately gone against orders, Treize said, in rebuilding the Gundam when he had been told to destroy it. And then, to have allowed the Gundam pilot to enter their base in Antarctica, simply so he could battle with him one final time.it was unquestionably the harshest act of betrayal that he, Treize Kushrinada, had ever been forced to endure.  
  
Zechs had stood while these accusations were being thrown at him. His face showed no emotion, but his blue eyes blazed unseen behind his mask. He had thought himself in control, if not of the situation, then at least of himself. But Treize always did know how to control others, and he definitely knew what made Zechs tick.  
  
He had been coming very close to losing his temper, something he rarely did. His voice had been becoming louder than usual, straying from its usual soft tones.  
  
"I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why, Zechs. Why would you deliberately go against my orders? Why? For the sake of those pilots? For the sake of your own damned pride?" he slammed his palm on his desk. "And for heaven's sake, will you take off that stupid mask!"  
  
Treize had made that request before, but rarely. And for quite different reasons. For the first time, he was demanding it. And for the first time, Zechs thought to disobey. He stood, unmoving.  
  
Treize hadn't imagined, even for a second, that Zechs would dare defy him. But when it became clear that his demand would not be met, a small frown crossed his handsome face. He strode around his desk to stand in front of his disobedient officer. Still, Zechs did not stir. He stood as though carved from alabaster in his red uniform with gold trim, his spotless white pants and gloves perfectly smooth, his high black boots scrupulously shiny, soaking up light. He was perfect, with the exception of that fatal flaw, that vein of defiance that was showing up now, so unexpectedly.  
  
After one moment, full of tension, Treize reached out, and with both hands lifted the heavy mask from Zechs' face, setting it on the small side table. Still, Zechs moved not at all. Treize had to fight not to gasp, both at his audacity and at his stunning beauty.  
  
It had been months since he had last seen his friends' face. Always he wore that silver mask, and Treize seldom had the courage to ask him to remove it, because he knew how vulnerable it made him feel. Seldom had he had the need, or the wish, to exploit that vulnerability.  
  
His skin was milk pale, more from race than from lack of light. His eyes were ice blue, blazing now with silent rage. His white blond hair fell in locks into those eyes. The effect could be boyish, charming. Now it was terrible and fearsome. Treize found him, as he always had, utterly captivating.  
  
He lifted one hand to run his long, white-gloved fingers through that pale blonde hair, letting long soft strands trickle through his fingers like water.  
  
Then he drew back his hand and hit Zechs hard across the face with his palm. The other man stumbled, holding to the table that held his mask to remain upright. Treize caught him with a blow from the other side, that sent him sprawling to his back on the deep, wine red carpet.  
  
When Zechs looked up at him, a livid red spot was spreading across both cheeks where he had been struck. There was stark betrayal in those blue eyes as he put one white gloved hand to his cheek. And Treize knew why.  
  
Treize was the only one who knew about Zechs' childhood, one of only three other living people who had been there, and the only one of those three to become close enough to the young count to witness it all. He was the only man alive, save Zechs himself, who had ever seen how Lord Peacecraft, his father, treated his oldest child, his only son.  
  
He had only been about fourteen at the time, and Zechs was younger. He never knew what the two were fighting over, only that he entered the study in time to see Lord Peacecraft backhand his young son with such force that the small boy had fallen off his feet, falling to the hardwood floorboards.  
  
He had picked the young Zechs, then Milliardo, off of the floor, and helped him out into the garden. He had splashed some water from a pond on his hot cheeks, and calmed him when he started to cry.  
  
And now, that same boy, now a man with a new name, in a time and place so different it was hard to imagine one coming from the other, was lying propped up on his elbows on Treizes' study floor, looking at him with a mixture of rage, hatred, and a little fear. And Treize realized his mistake.  
  
Zechs had climbed slowly to his feet, took his mask from the table, and tucked it under his arm. He had walked calmly up to Treize, their faces mere inches apart. "You are just like my father," he whispered. "Just as hypocritical, just as cold and unfeeling." He had turned, walked to the door, and opened it. Then he turned back to face the man who had just become his enemy. "And your ideals are doubly as foolish."  
  
And then he had left, slamming the door behind him.  
  
All that had occurred about two hours ago. Now, Zechs sat in his own quarters plotting the downfall of this man who was his god.  
  
And he was a god. No mere man could possibly do the things that Treize Kushrinada did on a regular basis. No mortal was as brash, as foolish, as insane. The man took his own dreams and made them come true, mostly by convincing others that they were also their dreams, so they would aid him in their fulfillment.  
  
He was a master of dreams. He was a proverbial Morpheus.  
  
And Zechs was going to kill him. 


	2. Scheming Dreamer

Title: Killing Morpheus  
  
Author: Ryoko no Shinigami  
  
For warnings, pairings, notes, etc, see Chapter One.  
  
Chapter Two: Scheming Dreamer  
  
For hours, Zechs had been sitting in his room at the Lake Victoria base, plotting the demise of the man/God Trieze Kushrinada, the man who created dreams. He had made and discarded many plans during that time, but none of them seemed good enough. Not one of them was perfect.  
  
Every single one of them had one fatal flaw. Zechs was a skilled fighter, trained since boyhood to take on any opponent. He was strong, and fast, and utterly amoral. The problem was that Treize had been trained in the same way. He had always been stronger, faster, more powerful. Even while Zechs clung to the foolish ideals of boyhood, Treize had seen the folly of morals, and had moved on.  
  
There was no way Zechs could trust himself to take on Treize alone. An assassin was another idea, but under Treize, Zechs had learned that you could trust no one. Even if he did manage to find a compatent assassin, he had no way of knowing whether or not he was already in Treizes' employ.  
  
For one wild, brief moment, Zechs had thought of enlisting the aid of the Gundam pilots. Surely, if there was anyone who hated Treize as much as he did, it was them. But that was foolish, and he knew it. They wouldn't trust him, and there was no way he could assure them that it was not a trap. Besides, Treizes' men were on constant lookout for those five. No, what Zechs needed was a way to get to Treize that he wasn't expecting, a way that could get him close enough to strike without warning. But to get that close, he'd practically have to be in Treizes' very bed.  
  
Treizes' bed. Few people knew that the young, handsome Colonel was in the habit of frequenting his commanding officers' quarters on business that was surely not regulation. Their little affair had been kept very, very quiet, because Treize feared dissention among the other troops, that their leaders favorite was also his bedmate, and because he knew that Zechs would make a lovely target for anyone wishing to hurt Romefeller's leader. Besides, he knew that Zechs' reputation would be tarnished by such ugly rumors. No, all in all, it was far better to keep a tight lid on that particular secret.  
  
Zechs leaned back in his chair, eyes closed. Treize had been so busy recently with those pesky Gundam pilots, he had barely had time for Zechs over the last few months. Even when they did have time alone, Treize was preoccupied, thinking constantly over new battle strategies, where the Gundams would strike next, and who was best to take care of the job. Zechs had been insanely jealous of those five, the only ones in all those years who could take Treizes' mind from him completely. He had to fight to get Treize to pay attention to him, and more often than not, he failed. But it was better not to think of that.  
  
Better to think instead of the times before the Gundams had shown up, when Romefeller and OZ were the unquestioned rulers of the earth and colonies. When Treize had been happy, only occasionally worried by a rebel uprising. Things had been sweeter then.  
  
It was true, things hadn't been perfect, even then. But the ones who were angered by Romefeller's rule hadn't had the power to fight back, and the ones who opposed them were killed and forgotten, just like that.  
  
Zechs had been so much happier then. Treize had been busy, true, so had he, but they had had much more time together. Often they would have days at a time with nothing to do, when they would retreat to one of the less populated bases to be alone. For days on end, they saw no one but each other, and cared nothing for the outside world. But those times were too quickly over, always ended by something that needed Treizes' immediate attention, calling him away from Zechs' bed and his arms again.  
  
It wasn't like Zechs had nothing to do, though. He was a busy member of both Romefeller and OZ, a high ranking officer with duties of his own. He was as busy as Treize, and to be fair, it was just as often his responsibilities that separated them as Treizes'.  
  
But the Gundam pilots had changed all that. Now, neither Zechs nor Treize had enough room to breathe, much less time to spend together. And as proud as Zechs was that his lover was strong and brave enough to confront such a menace, he was hurt and angry that even in their rare times together, Treize seemed too tense and preoccupied to sit still, his head too full of plans to make conversation.  
  
And when Zechs had been given orders to destroy the remains of Gundam Zero One, he had disobeyed without knowing why he did so. He told himself that it was because he was captivated by the mysterious, dark haired pilot, who reminded him so much of Treize when he was young, and it was true. But he also knew that it was because he was bored, and alone, and angry at Treize for ignoring him.  
  
And now it had all blown up in his face. Treize hadn't court marshaled him, thank God, or discharged him from his duty, but he had made it clear to Zechs that he would be under close supervision, and that he would no longer be in the loop about the top-secret plans as he used to be.  
  
And that stung. Zechs was by now used to being his leaders favorite, used to being part of the elite group of officers. He knew he deserved to be respected, because he was a good strategist and pilot, and because his troops delighted in following him. But Treize had treated him as though it was only through favors that he had achieved his success. That wasn't true, Zechs knew, and the thought that Treize might think that made him see red.  
  
As Zechs drifted in an almost-sleep, sitting in the soft chair in his comfortable officers quarters, his mind strayed from its angry musings to those of happier times, times before Treize became so distant.  
  
He remembered kisses, and soft embraces in Treizes' room at night. He saw how Treize looked at him, eyes full of love and pride. He had always been so proud of the way Zechs made his own way to the top, of the way he worked so hard to make Treize praise him.  
  
He remembered how they laughed together after they boarded a shuttle to some far-away base, just as Noin's shuttle touched down on the landing strip they had left. When Noin's advances towards Zechs became more troublesome, they could always have her dispatched elsewhere. They both knew it was cruel humor, but Zechs always made sure Noin got placed where her talents were needed, and where she would be appreciated. Unwelcome advances or not, she was still his friend.  
  
At least Lady Une had been easier. Her devotion towards Treize bordered on obsession, and she dared not do anything to displease him. She viewed Zechs with acute distaste and loathing, but she never got in their way. She probably thought that Zechs was merely diverting to Mr. Treize, and that eventually, Treize would cast him away and realize that she was just who he had been looking for all those years.  
  
And then Zechs' thoughts took a decidedly more erotic turn. Treizes' caresses in the dark, the things he whispered in his ear, the passion that Zechs sometimes feared would engulf him.  
  
Suddenly, Zechs opened his eyes and knew how he could bring about Treizes' downfall. It was a perfect plan, utterly simple, and he didn't know how he had overlooked it before. And the best part was, it would be Treize doing himself in, at little risk to Zechs himself. How utterly marvelous.  
  
The proverbial Morpheus was going to die. 


	3. Unsettling Pace

Title: Killing Morpheus  
  
Author: Ryoko no Shinigami  
  
For warnings, pairings, notes, etc, see Chapter One.  
  
Chapter Three: Unsettling Pace  
  
The soft knock on his office door brought Treizes' attention from the view outside his window. Not that he had been paying attention to the view. He had been lost in thought for several hours, completely oblivious to the world outside. He sat at his desk and prepared to greet his unwelcome visitor.  
  
"Come in," he said, though he truly wished to send whoever it was away.  
  
The person who opened his door was the last person he expected to see just then, and he clutched the edge of his desk to keep from shaking.  
  
"Zechs. What are you doing here?"  
  
The young counts' face was not covered by the mask, nor was he carrying it, which was a very rare thing. His cheeks were still slightly red, and he looked steadily at the ground a little ahead of him as he entered, which gave him a shy, boyish appearance. He stood uneasily in front of Treizes' desk, his eyes still downcast, hands slightly clenched by his sides.  
  
"Treize, I." his voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat. "I came to say that.I'm sorry I angered you. I should have had Gundam Zero One destroyed, and I regret having endangered Romefeller and OZ on my own whim."  
  
It sounded like he had rehearsed it, and he meant it to. He flicked his eyes up once, swiftly, to meet Treizes' darker blue ones. He quickly lowered them again and ducked his head slightly.  
  
"I.I didn't mean to endanger our mission. I agree wholeheartedly with your punishment, and I thank you that it was so lenient."  
  
Zechs was relieved that Treize didn't interrupt him. He knew he couldn't stop, because he wouldn't be able to force himself to begin speaking such drivel again. It took all his self - control to keep from screaming that it was lies, all of it lies, and he trembled in fury. He only hoped that Treize would misinterpret it as shame and passionate apology.  
  
When he had finished, Treize still said nothing, simply sat with his fingers pressed together in front of him, staring at Zechs. When, after several moments, he still made no move to speak, Zechs bowed stiffly and turned to leave.  
  
"Zechs.wait."  
  
Treize stood as Zechs turned around, a look of surprise and no little anxiety on his face. He walked across the room until he stood only feet in front of Zechs, eyes boring into him until Zechs could feel them burning him. He tried not to meet that hot blue gaze.  
  
"All I want to know, Zechs, is why? Why would you endanger us all that way? You aren't stupid, you're one of our most loyal officers. Why would you do such a thing?"  
  
Zechs pretended to hunt and stumble over his words, though he had chosen them carefully back in his room. "I.I don't know. It's just, you've been so busy, with so little time.I think I just wanted you to notice me again, and if I could defeat the Gundam pilot." tears fell down his cheeks, tears of shame that he was degrading himself like this. But they could be used to his advantage. "But all I want is for you to forgive me, Treize.Please." He turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut on his tears. It all hinged on this, he thought. It all came down to this..  
  
A hand fell, gentle, on his shoulder. A gloved hand came up to cup his cheek, bringing his head up to look into those intense blue eyes, now filled with pity.  
  
.Yes.  
  
"Zechs, I'm.I'm so sorry. I had no idea."  
  
Nor will you ever.  
  
"But Zechs," the eyes became firm, "There's no excuse for what you've done, undermining my authority."  
  
Maybe.  
  
Then the eyes softened again. "I will forgive you, Zechs, but your actions will not be without consequences. I can't simply give you all your privileges back, of course. Too many people know about this little stunt of yours. But.with work, I'm sure we can make them forget about it eventually. Eventually you will have your power again."  
  
Success!  
  
Treizes' thumb softly stroked his cheek, and Zechs winced at the touch to the still-tender flesh. When Treize had struck him, it had been with force, and had truly hurt. A shadow quickly flashed across Treizes' brow, and he frowned.  
  
"I am sorry I struck you, Zechs. Such foolish actions are not befitting of a man, and are an act of cowardice. I am sorry."  
  
Zechs threw his arms around Treizes' neck, same as he would have done in happier times.  
  
"I forgive you, Treize, and thank you! I'm so happy you've forgiven me! I'll work harder, I swear, and I'll make you really proud of me again."  
  
Treize pulled back from Zechs and kissed him, lightly, on both cheeks. His lips brushed, soft and quick, over Zechs' before he returned his embrace.  
  
Zechs could hardly believe that Treize was following his childlike, innocent act. Had he always seen Zechs as some sort of child, irrational, quick to anger and quick to forget? Easy to please and placate with a few kisses and caresses? Had he always acted like this, and only now that he was trying to, realizing it? Exactly how foolish had he been all this time?  
  
Well, never mind. Such thoughts would only make him angry, and make it harder to play his part as someone grateful just to be forgiven.  
  
As Zechs felt Treize put his arms about his waist, he was truly happy. The fool had fallen for the first part of his plan. He wasn't stupid, though, and this hurt would not immediately be forgotten. But with a little work.yes.Zechs' plan could be brought to fruition.  
  
And Morpheus would die.  
  
Zechs closed his eyes and melted against Treize. This was bliss, he thought. 


	4. Biding Time

Title: Killing Morpheus  
  
Author: Ryoko no Shinigami  
  
For warnings, pairings, notes, etc, see Chapter One  
  
Chapter Four: Biding Time  
  
For about a week, Zechs tried to patch things up between himself and Treize. Even though his commander often invited him to dine in his private quarters, by meals' end Zechs was always back in his own room, alone. Of course, he hadn't expected for things to return to normal so quickly, so he waited patiently, and let Treize pay him the numerous small attentions that he hadn't enjoyed for so long.  
  
Zechs' plan was forced to lie dormant for several days while Treize was called away to deal with the heads of Romefeller. He apologized to Zechs, and promised to make it up as soon as he returned. Zechs accepted this. He wasn't in any rush, now that his plan was already in motion. He didn't let it bother him, simply bided his time, immersed himself in his work, and went over his plan again and again in his head, until he was sure it was perfect.  
  
If you have to kill a god, Zechs mused, you might as well get them to do it for you.  
  
But it was during those days that an unexpected and very happy accident occurred. And when it did, Zechs knew that the final element was in place, and he could truly see his victory for the first time.  
  
Lucrezia Noin, Zechs' long-time friend and would-be lover, was re- stationed to the Lake Victoria base, following a minor injury inflicted while training an over-zealous cadet.  
  
It couldn't have been more perfect.  
  
Zechs made sure he was on the landing strip when Noin's shuttle arrived, made sure that he was the first person she saw. When she stepped off the plane, he swept her up into a close embrace, for once heedless of what others would see or say.  
  
He wanted them to see, yes, and even more, he wanted them to talk.  
  
He asked Noin to dine with him that evening, in his own quarters. She had accepted, as he had known she would. She may have had enviable self-control on the battlefield, but when it came to the man she loved, she couldn't help the pain she put herself through.  
  
The meal was elegant, in a simple way. He made sure it was quaintly romantic, just the way he imagined Noin would have thought of their relationship.  
  
Of course, at the end of the evening, he sent Noin off alone. No sense moving too quickly, he thought, before all the elements could be brought into play.  
  
The next day, Treize returned to Lake Victoria. His meeting with the Romefeller heads had not gone well. His opposition to mobile dolls was being widely ridiculed, and he had to struggle to hold off their accusations.  
  
But when his plane touched down, Zechs made a repeat performance, though of course with more restraint. Whereas Noin would appreciate public displays of affection, Treize would not, and Zechs acted accordingly.  
  
He saved his words and his touch for when they were alone, locked in Treizes' private office. Treize had practically fallen into his chair, exhausted from days of diplomatic maneuvering.  
  
"They're like sharks, Zechs. Always waiting for you to bloody your hands before they attack."  
  
Zechs moved behind his commander and laid his hands on his shoulders.  
  
"I'm sure you dealt with them quite well."  
  
He spoke soothingly as he began to massage the tension from Treizes' strong shoulders. Treize leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes with a sigh of contentment.  
  
"Yes, I think I've taken care of them. For now, anyway. But I'm honestly not sure how much longer I can hold them off."  
  
Before, it had been times like this, when Treize was relaxing and opening himself to him, that Zechs felt his love for Treize most deeply. No one else was in the position of Treizes' confidant, and it made Zechs feel most important.  
  
Now, he felt again that twinge of the heart. He ignored it, stuffing it down to some dark corner where he could forget it.  
  
He moved to the sideboard and poured Treize a glass of wine from the decanter he had prepared. It was a deep, rich red, perfectly aged, from Treizes' private store. As Treize sipped the liquid, he visibly relaxed further, allowing his chair to support him more, instead of sitting on it uneasily.  
  
He raised a hand to brush the soft blonde hairs away from Zechs' temple, and he sighed.  
  
"I missed you over the last few days, Zechs. I think, before, I had rather forgotten how to miss you."  
  
Zechs averted his gaze and felt a hot blush come to his cheeks. It had been ages since Treize had admitted to missing him, ages since he had been so open and caring. He covered his officers' hand with his own, entwining their fingers together.  
  
"I.I missed you, too, Treize. I'm glad you're back."  
  
And when he spoke, he knew it was only half a lie.  
  
Back in his quarters that evening, Zechs knew that his plan was going along as well as he could ever have wished. Events were beginning to occur, now that he was ready and everything was in place.  
  
Momentarily, Zechs had to struggle to feel happy about this. It troubled him slightly, and he wondered why. But again, he put such bothersome thoughts from his mind, and assured himself that once Treize was gone, he would rise to take the vacant place. Treize had not known how true it was when he promised that Zechs would eventually have his power back.  
  
"You have no idea, foolish man. No idea at all."  
  
Morpheus was as good as dead, and Zechs told himself that he was glad. 


End file.
